


I Know This Love Is Pain

by orphan_account



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Peggy Carter, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alphas are frowned upon, Alphas are seen as evil, Awesome Peggy Carter, Bottom Tony Stark, Clans, Howard Stark's Good Parenting, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Tony Stark, Peggy Carter is Tony Stark's Godparent, Possessive Alphas, Tony Feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-26 17:13:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19772773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: In a world where alphas are seen as the lowest and most dangerous layer of society, the Stark clan hides three alphas.Tony grew up surrounded by Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter, the two alphas his father kept within his family. After all, Tony knew about his father's deepest secret: he was hiding Captain America, the alpha most wanted by the government and clandestine clans. And now that he would become the head of the Stark family, this secret became his.What he least expected was that this same alpha was the so-called beta that he disliked most: Steve Rogers.





	1. Not Quite Ready

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A helping hand](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14823935) by [masterlokisev159](https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterlokisev159/pseuds/masterlokisev159). 
  * Inspired by [A helping hand](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14823935) by [masterlokisev159](https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterlokisev159/pseuds/masterlokisev159). 



> Hey guys!
> 
> So, this was a plot that I was looking foward to write for a long time and since I was having a writer block on my Conclusion College Work and my favourite A/B/O fic was updated, I decided to write it down.
> 
> On this A/B/O verse, the Alphas are seen like a threat, too animalistic to leave with the others and believed to be too close to wolves-like manners. Betas and Omegas are higher on the rank although there's no really a "better" rank between these two. An ideal pack has a large percent of Betas and the rest of Omegas, most to reproduction bc Omegas can concieve easier than any Beta. Even though Omegas might only be completed satisfied with an Alpha, on this verse, they have to accept a Beta during their heat even if it takes longer to settle if they had an Alpha - safety first.
> 
> As always:  
> \- English is NOT my mother language, so, please tell me any errors bc I may be working along side Google Translator;
> 
> \- I DO NOT, unfortunately, OWN THE AVENGERS OR ANY OTHER MARVEL CHARACTER THAT MAY APPEAR ON THE FIC;
> 
> \- Kudos and comments are ALWAYS welcome and they reeeeeally keep me going, so, if you enjoy it...
> 
> Title taken from the music Let's Hurt Tonight by OneRepublic
> 
> Hope you guys like it.

Alpha. The very sound of the word made Tony shiver. Everyone around him, himself included, knew the dangers of living with someone of this rank; too dangerous to be included, they were too close to the ancient behaviour of wolves that all the rest tried to sink into their interiors.

Tony looked up at the others at the table, his family, his clan. Howard, Maria, Bruce, Rhodes, Pepper, Clint, Natasha ... Bucky and Peggy. His uncle and his aunt. His alphas protectors. No, his family, two of the people he loved the most. Stark sighed and smiled back at Peggy Carter.

That was the secret of the Stark's that many would kill to know. His father, after the war between German, Italian and Japanese Alphas and American and European Alphas, decided to hide his colleagues Alphas from the government. The rest of the Alphas were sent to the ‘humanitarian’ colonies only for them, but Howard knew it wouldn’t be like they were selling. Even after using Alphas' abilities to win the Nazi army, society didn’t simply accept them, on the contrary, most went to trial for the barbarities of war - both on the side of the Allies and the Axis. Because of this, his father decided to welcome Bucky and Peggy, as well as the legendary Captain America, the living legend who disappeared before anyone could catch him. The same Captain who was a ghost, a murmur among the walls of the Stark pack lair, always present but never in sight.

"You know, I can hear your thoughts from here." Bruce murmured, drawing his attention back to the present. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Too much in the head, Brucie-Bear." Banner nodded suspiciously.

"Thinking about next month?" Another shiver ran through him.

May. Month of his eighteenth birthday. He would take over the clan. Tony might even lie, but he could not fool himself that he didn’t feel at all prepared to lead the entire Stark clan, even with the support of everyone, he still felt too childish, even though he was a genius.

"Because?"

Before Bruce responded, Steve Rogers entered the dining room. The blond never showed up like that, hardly ever talking to anyone but his father, Peggy and Bucky. The Beta spoke to his father and soon Howard followed in a hurry, along with Bucky and Peggy. It wasn’t a good sign when the four of them came out like that.

"Tony, no, you have that look on. Whatever it is, no!" Banner speaks, earning Rhodes' attention.

"Tony? Bruce? Is everything okay?" The boy asks, the youngest of the Stark's ignore him, standing up and moving in the direction his father and uncles went.

The glances of the table, for a few seconds, turned to Tony, however, only Pepper, Rhodes, and Banner's attention remained firmly on his friend. Tony's tendency to get in trouble and drag his friends was troubling and, as a future leader of the clan, he should, at least this month, stay on the line.

Unwilling to anything but his own curiosity and need to sneak around the corners to know everything, Tony hid behind one of the pilasters by the door and opened a crack, tuning his ears to what was floundering inside the room. Howard was exalted and the worry in Peggy's voice made him frown, he couldn’t see them, but it was enough to hear them. Whatever it was, it would severely affect his pack.

"How did they find out? I took every care, even developed essences to camouflage you!"

"We've been on a lot of quests and hunts recently, maybe our scent has been discovered, we can’t camouflage ourselves in wolf form, Howard." Bucky seemed so resigned that he hardly resembled the coolest, irresponsible uncle Tony had.

"We'll be ready if they come back, we've set the house up the hill and we've been stocking food for some time, always preparing for the worst." Steve says, safe and calm. Tony hated this in the Beta; he would like to have his pose and his calm of leader, but was too impulsive.

"I need you here, Rogers, I cannot risk leaving the burrow unprotected, especially now." Howard sighs and Tony bites his lip, he knows the reason.

"Tony’s on the verge of his first heat, are you sure about that?" Peggy recalled, a tug at Tony's stomach made him close his eyes. He remembered it well and he feared it how a medieval commoner feared the plague.

"I have total confidence in both of them. In addition, he’ll have to deal with this as future clan chief."

"He's still just a boy." Bucky spoke so softly and low that the younger Stark took some time to decipher his words.

"Tony is capable. I know that." Steve had a smile on his face, it was clear in his voice.

The silence that was made wasn’t heavy, but it was uncertain. The nervousness was present in the young man listening the elders, the thoughts of doubt traversing his head full of numbers and improvements for the military and energetic part of the pack.

"You'll supervise him while we're gone." Howard broke the silence, leaving a sweet taste in his son's mouth. His father trusted him, that was what mattered most.

"I don’t know if he'll be happy about that." A short laugh, Tony debated whether it was Steve or Bucky's.

"He doesn’t like many things that are for his sake." He rolled his eyes.

"Bucky and I will go to the top of the hill in two days, we'll need Natasha and Clint." Peggy takes them back to the business matter.

"Yes, yes. I'll talk to Tony right away, then."

Footsteps approached the door and Tony ran as if his life depended on it back to the table. Most of the pack had already finished their dinner, and he had barely made it to his place when Howard entered the dining room, coming to him with a gentle smile even for his father.

"Can we talk?" He called, and Tony agreed, feigning an innocence he hadn’t had in a long time.

The two Stark's headed to Howard's office followed close by Steve. The office that would soon be Tony's as well, another pulling on his stomach made itself present with the anxiety that the thought brought him.

"Tony, I'll be brief. Bucky and Peggy will need my help on a mission and we'll leave in two days, I'm not sure when I'll be back." The son nodded. His father was a man of few words.

"In the meantime, will Obie take care of the pack?" Howard denied.

"You're going to be the leader this time. Steve will take care of your physical integrity, but everything else is on your hands alone." Tony swallowed and Howard grabbed his shoulders, staring at his son with a sea of emotions in his brown eyes that were just like his “Soon enough, it’ll be just like that. I’m not getting any younger, Tony, and you're going to guide our pack. You need to learn it in practice." The younger just nodded, giving his Dad a grin.

"I promise to take care of everything." Howard smiled proudly.

"I know you are; you are a Stark and..."

"Stark's are good at everything they do. I know!" Interrupts his father in a tone of false fatigue and a playful smile on his face. The father responded with the same smile.

"Well, now, let's go to the official presentations." Howard turned his son toward the other in the room. "Tony, this is Steve Rogers, he's part of the military corps, you know that already, but now he's your personal body guard too." Steve reached out and Tony squeezed the hand he offered, a desire to wrest the professional, timid grin the blond was giving coming out of him, but he set it aside.

"Tony."

"Steve."

"I hope we can understand each other this time." Tony grinned.

"Me too." _Or maybe I die before, no one knows_ \- he thought.

"Presentations made, now, back to dinner. This whole conversation only made my appetite grow." The older squeezed his son's shoulder lightly and hit the same way on Rogers' shoulder before leaving.

The remaining two were analysing each other. Much more Tony to Steve, since the blonde just stood quietly in front of the other, as if he expected him to finish whatever he was thinking or waiting for.

"You're going to have a hell lot work to do with me." Stark said at last, making Rogers laugh.

"Actually, I've heard that your physical integrity is harder to maintain than Bucky's."

Tony fought a smile and straightened his posture, folding his arms.

"Following the footsteps of my favourite uncle. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to end up a little more with my physical integrity in the workshop." He headed for the exit.

"Unfortunately, I have to go along. Orders are orders, I cannot risk the pack's most valuable omega." With that, the blond followed him.

It would be long days if this was going to be their routine.


	2. Not So Perfect Match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> Before we start, I need to tell you this: in my mind, there are types of wolves and their features. Such as White, Black, Grey, Ginger and Husky-like Wolf, this last one reminding a lot of the dogs race and being the most common. On the future, I'll explain better, it's just to clarify some of the things on this chapter.  
> Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> ps: any typos pls tell me!!

Today was the day of his father's and his uncles’ travels. Tony stared at Natasha, Bucky, and Clint load the car as Peggy checked each item and Howard checked the vehicle for the last time. The boy couldn’t be more anxious.

In previous days, the fact that his father would travel and leave the burrow in his hands seemed distant, almost like a dream or a desire. Now, with the scene before him, it was a reality that came to him with the delicacy of a rabid boar attacking. All right, Rhodes and Banner were by his side and Steve – he'd have to trust him anyway – would be there to keep anything from happening to him, but his responsibility was much greater.

His father was satisfied with the operation of everything shortly before all the supplies they’d carry would be put in his suitcase. Howard went to his son and hugged him, Tony clung to his father with an almost childish need to keep him close, the need for security.

"I'll be back soon, son. I promise." He stepped back and put his hand on his son's cheek, analysing it well. "When I come back, you'll already be a man." His voice went low, a sweet tone that reminded Tony when his father and mother cherished him after a nightmare.

"I'll leave you in the slipper, old man." Tony teased and Howard messed his hair playfully, before letting go of his son.

"Just do not give me grandchildren so early, Anthony, I don’t even have white hair yet!" They both laughed.

It was common all that affection among the Stark's, the affection among the three, as well as the love they felt for each other, was clear in every word and action. This reflected directly on the rest of the pack: everyone respected and tried their best to maintain order and peace.

"He’ll walk the line, sir, I assure you." Rhodes spoke next to Tony, drawing Howard's attention to him.

"Thank you, Rhodes. You and Steve control Tony, do not let him do those marathons in the workshop." Tony gasped, outraged.

"Look who's talking!"

"Hey, brat, you think you pulled it from where? To this day I don’ understand how your mother accepted your father." Bucky jokes, still leaning on the car.

Tony smiled, this time with a bit of sadness in his smile. His mother. His mother and father fighting over bullshit. His mother sick and languishing.

"Let me deceive myself that I’m like my mother!" He retorts, and his uncle denies it.

"It's time for us to go," Natasha says, looking at the clock. "Bye, Tony." She nods at him and climbs into the passenger seat.

Bucky and Peggy approach as Howard walks to the driver's side.

"Don’t let Steve get on your foot. Anything, pretends he's just a whim and puts him out for a sunbath after a warm shower." Barnes jokes, hugging his nephew, earning a short laugh from the younger one.

"Do not listen to him, Steve wants your good as we do. We'll be without phones, but anything, we can see a sign of smoke from there." Peggy pushes her friend and hugs her godson, leaving a sense of comfort and home with her scent of tea and gunpowder, her scent.

"I'll miss you," Stark lets himself admit softly.

"We'll be back in a heartbeat." She promises and fends slightly, looking at someone behind Tony. "If my godson got hurt because you were a distracted idiot, I cut out your important parts." Steve. Sure, it was with Steve.

A laugh and then someone were almost stuck on his shore.

"He'll be fine." Peggy nods with confirmation and leaves a kiss mark on Tony's cheek before heading to the car.

Bucky reaches out and Steve holds it, without leaving his protective position behind the future leader.

"She left the message; I just want to confirm that you are my best friend. I will not do that." Barnes's gaze becomes playful. "The parts I'm going to cut are less important, but still necessary." Steve's chuckle reverberates on the younger Stark skin, making him smile too.

"You have so much confidence in me alone, holy crap." he grunts.

"It's not you, Tiny, it's the idiot of your bodyguard." Uncle blinks and heads for the car too.

When the ignition roars, Stark's heart reacts in a similar way. The vehicle moving away from the lair was a signal to the rest of the people to get back to their business, but Tony couldn’t take his eyes off that path. A bad feeling telling him to scream, beg for them to stay. His need was childish.

"We have to go." Steve says in a gentle tone, though, Tony wants to push him, stop him from following him or do what he has to do.

"I'm going to the workshop. You don’t have to come along." He turns to leave, meeting the blonde.

"I would love to accompany you. I'm out of military duty and I have nothing to do all day." Tony narrowed his eyes, analysing him.

"You’ll go with me even if I lock you outside." He stated and Rogers smirked.

"It would be at your door in the form of a wolf like a good watchdog."

"Howard, what have you condemned me to?" He dramatized, throwing his arms up and pretending to cry. "Come on, Bolt, I want to work." He went on without waiting for Steve, knowing that the blond would be right behind him.

Just over an hour later, when Tony was already sunk in his calculating thoughts, Steve's cell phone went off, bringing him back to reality. Tony snorts and crosses his arms, looking significantly at the other.

"Okay, rule number one in the shop: _never_ leave the phone on top!" He moans and Steve gets up.

"Sorry, it was important." Blushes and look around. "Do you have a bathroom here?" He asks, a touch of anxiety making itself present in his voice.

Tony frowns. So far, never in his entire life had he seen Steve Rogers anxious or nervous. And this, although he almost never shared the space with Rogers, wanted to say something, since he had known him since he reminded himself.

"Next to that shelf. Just push, it's a discreet opening." Tony signals and Steve thanks, basically running toward the bathroom.

Stark, unable to return to work with questions in his mind, waits for Steve to return, sitting on the bench where he previously used to set up a circuit, he would use it for burrow surveillance in the future. As the other leaves, Tony shoots:

"What was this?"

"This?" Rogers feigns confusion, but Tony could smell the scent of confusion escaping from the elder.

"Your cell phone goes off and you get nervous, run to the bathroom and spend almost ten minutes inside. There's definitely something." Steve scratches the back of his neck.

"I have a... a condition. I need to take injections twice a day and that makes me a bit nervous, I haven’t been a fan of needles since... since I've had my transformation.” There is uncertainty in words and some gaps on the history, though Tony would not force it. He barely knew Rogers, and decidedly didn’t want to start now, so close to his heat.

"As long as it doesn’t stop you from working ..."

"No, no! It never stopped me, not even during the army." That caught Stark's eye.

"Army?" Steve nodded.

"I fought during the war, with Bucky." The crease between the eyebrows of the younger one deepens.

"It's not possible. If you fought during the War, it means you’re at least fifty. And, of course, you’re not! At least ... it doesn’t look like." Tony widens his eyes as Rogers lowers his gaze. " _Are_ you over _fifty_?"

"I'm eighty, Tony." Brunet's chin drops.

" _How?_ That makes you a year younger than Uncle Bucky, but it's understandable, he's a Black Wolf, it makes sense because he has a factor that makes aging slow down. And Aunt Peggy too, but she's a Ginger Wolf, it also makes sense even though she grows older than him..." Stark's verbal diarrhoea begins and Steve laughs.

"Tony, I'm a White Wolf. My genetics are similar to Bucky's, I age less than other Wolves." Again, Stark's chin goes down.

"You fucking bitch!" He says slowly and Rogers curls his nose.

"Language."

"You tell me you're one of the rarest types of Wolves out there and you expect me to react like what? Patting your back and smiles? Rogers, you ... uh?" Tony had his arms outstretched and his expression incredulous. Steve couldn’t help but smile at the scene.

"Your father reacted like this when he took me in." He teased and Tony got up from the table.

"Bad news: _I am not my father!_ " tricked his jaw "Do you have a fucking notion of your biology? Do you know what that means?" He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his nervousness.

Of all the options, his father had to put him right with the White Wolf. Right with Steve Rogers, his ideal partner for his Wolf form.

"It means that I have more developed senses, such as slower aging and superhuman strength, but this last one was only if I were an Alpha. And also, that I only have one partner my whole life and, if it’s of the right kind, everything is fine, but if it’s of the wrong species, it damages the partner. Yeah, I went to breeding classes in my time." Rogers looked away, the good mood leaving his being.

"Glad you remember, Grandpa. Another bad news: we will not be able to stay close to each other." He says going toward the door and opening it.

"Why?" Steve's eyebrow arched in confusion.

"I'm a Grey Wolf. And I certainly don’t want you to be around me when I'm so close to my heat!" Tony knows his words weren’t delicate, but the blonde doesn’t seem to care.

"You take me for so little?" The brunet swallows.

"I need to be sure that anything I do will be right. Even though you're not an Alpha, I don’t want to be with someone just because my instinct begs for me to have sex with that person." Steve straightens his posture.

"Tony, I'll do my job and this will not be an obstacle. As I said, it wasn’t in the army and I very much doubt it’ll be now." A defiant look took over the older man. "Besides, I have orders from the clan chief that I intend to follow until they’re revoked."

Stark snorted.

"I’m the clan chief and I tell you to _leave and let it go._ "

"You're not really the clan chief. You are the temporary. For you to be officially the chief and be able to give me orders, there must be a ceremony and you, being an Omega, must have had your first heat." A winning smile "And neither of these things happened, did it, Anthony? "

If Tony had something in his hands, he would certainly make the hours he trained with Clint shooting and archery, as he would dump Steve's huge head to take that grin off with strength.

"There's going to be one day, Rogers, one day when I'm going to lose my mind with you." He grunts and Rogers shrugs, returning to his spot on the couch with a well-forged innocence.

"There are at least two senses in this sentence and I do not mind you enforcing that promise in both ways."

Tony growls and walks back hard, angry, starting to do whatever he was doing before all that scene. He would definitely kill his bodyguard sooner or later.


End file.
